Super Visa

Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents have a new option for visiting Canada. As of December 1, 2011, you may be eligible to apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa – which is valid for up to 10 years and allows an applicant to remain in Canada for up to 24 months at a time without the need for renewal of their status.

VISA-EXEMPT VISITOR

You may need a temporary resident visa to visit Canada, depending on your citizenship. However, if you are visa-exempt, you may still benefit from the parent and grandparent super visa provisions.

DETERMINE YOUR ELIGIBILITY – VISIT YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN

To apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, you must:

• Be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada
• Be found admissible to Canada
• Meet certain other conditions

You cannot include dependents in this application. Only your spouse or common-law partner is eligible to accompany you under this provision.

Visa officers consider several factors before deciding if a person is admissible. The person must be a genuine visitor to Canada who will leave by choice at the end of the visit. Among the things that could be considered are:

• The person’s ties to the home country
• The purpose of the visit
• The person’s family and financial situation
• The overall economic and political stability of the home country
• An invitation from a Canadian host

In addition to being found admissible to Canada, the parent or grandparent must also:

• Provide a written commitment of financial support from their child or grandchild in Canada who meets a MINIMUM INCOME THRESHOLD
• Prove that they have bought Canadian medical insurance coverage for at least one year
• Complete an IMMIGRATION MEDICAL EXAMINATION.